My v1.3 version of DL crashed ungloriously, leaving me with the need to re-install the game "out of the box" (which was a v1.2e).
I had updated it to v1.3 with a 36 MB .Zip file downloaded from [url="http://www.dungeonlordsgame.com/main.php?s=download"]www.dungeonlordsgame.com[/url], before I'd come over to GB, or the DL Official page (more on this later...)
Not having had the common sense to keep that .Zip file at hand, and not remembering (at the time) from where I'd downloaded it, I went on to download the patch from the official site.
And then some. I had to do it a couple of times, actually.... here's the story.
Patch 1 - This was a file of ca. 39 MB from the official DL website.
Patch 2 - Another file of ca. 38 MB from right here at Gamebanshee
Patch 3 - A 39 MB file from Gamespot
Patch 4 - Lastly, a 39 MB patch from 3D Gamer
Now, back to the title of this thread...
These patches were bugged!
All 4 patches were .exe files that, once opened, launched an InstallShield to update my old v1.2e.
But not one of them worked!
For all 4 patches, an error window came up with a message saying that my game version (v1.2e) was incompatible with the v1.3 update.
HUH...?! Incompatible? What the hell kind of update patch is going to be incompatible with the game it's supposed to update and patch up...?!
At any rate, I was advised by the update installer that I would need to uninstall my current version of the game, then re-install it, if I wanted to use the patch. Not that this made any real sense, but at loss for any other ideas, I went ahead and did it.
Ok. Did that. Result? Same problem, again.
Hence, a series of uninstallations and subsequent retries with the other patches ensued, none of which worked.
Although my next step was bereft of any logic, I even tried the absurd, which was to preemptively install this patch, and then pull out my CD's to re-install my original game over it. You never know what improbable, absurd, and just plain "huh?" mechanism works, with PC's...
Of course, and as it was to be expected, that didn't work either; the patch claimed it needed the game to be installed before it could patch it up (which it didn't do the first time around, because it was... "incompatible").
Finally, I gave up, and re-installed the "out of the box" v1.2e, and resigned myself to starting over.
The downside to this was that now I couldn't play the game with my old characters, because my v1.3 savegames were incompatible with the "out of the box" v1.2e that I had. The game would launch and then crash. I had to cut my savegames from DL's Save folder, and paste them somewhere else, in hopes of one day being able to play them again.
But, once I'd done that, everything with DL was fine. I could start and play characters from scratch... but I missed my characters (and the automap)!!
I eventually found that [url="http://www.dungeonlordsgame.com/main.php?s=download"]36 MB .Zip file[/url] again, and after unpacking it and copying its contents to my DL directory, everything was back on track. Funny that this wasn't even an installer...
Anyway, my question is... has anyone else run into this problem, or have I just got the luck of the draw, for whatever reason?
BTW, just for the note... wouldn't a quickload feature really come in handy, in v1.4? It's annoying having to close the game and restart everytime something doesn't go according to plan...
Patch v1.3... with a bug?
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The Nightfly
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Patch v1.3... with a bug?
Sure I work... but only when I want to! I got a lot of free time on my hands, so I can play RPG's 10 hours a day![url="http://website.ws/jodharry"]Here's how I do it[/url]
This is a fairly well known problem with the patching system. I'm glad you were able to find a solution.
(FWIW, the exe patches think you should be running version 1.1, which was the initial retail release of the game. Somehow, there was a later retail release that used 1.2, and it confused everything.)
SWC
(FWIW, the exe patches think you should be running version 1.1, which was the initial retail release of the game. Somehow, there was a later retail release that used 1.2, and it confused everything.)
SWC
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The way they created the patches was awful. I think a game company should have an .exe that puts everything where it' supposed to go regardless of what version you start with. You shouldn't have to guess they made a folder with all of the patch files in it, then move them where their supposed to go. Like I said... awful.
I remedied this type of situation by creating my own patch. It patches US version 1.1 to 1.3 OR ANYTHING IN BETWEEN to 1.3.
Just like a patch is supposed to.
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The Nightfly
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[QUOTE=swcarter]This is a fairly well known problem with the patching system. I'm glad you were able to find a solution.
(FWIW, the exe patches think you should be running version 1.1, which was the initial retail release of the game. Somehow, there was a later retail release that used 1.2, and it confused everything.)
SWC[/QUOTE]
In fact, the retail version I had was a v1.2e.
Now, the patch should have its fixes, and update everything necessary. That's the whole point of it.
And really, it should be an automatic process (d/l/, execute, play game)There really should be no need to have to unzip, cut, paste, etc. Not everybody has the knowledge, or the intuition, to do what I've had to do, however granted we take it to be in its simplicity.
Furthermore, I wasn't aware of a retro-compatibility issue with patches. This is the first time something of the sorts has ever happened to me.
One cannot begin to imagine the need for a progressive, scalable installation of patches, before getting the whole thing up to scratch with the latest v.X.Y
(FWIW, the exe patches think you should be running version 1.1, which was the initial retail release of the game. Somehow, there was a later retail release that used 1.2, and it confused everything.)
SWC[/QUOTE]
In fact, the retail version I had was a v1.2e.
Now, the patch should have its fixes, and update everything necessary. That's the whole point of it.
And really, it should be an automatic process (d/l/, execute, play game)There really should be no need to have to unzip, cut, paste, etc. Not everybody has the knowledge, or the intuition, to do what I've had to do, however granted we take it to be in its simplicity.
Furthermore, I wasn't aware of a retro-compatibility issue with patches. This is the first time something of the sorts has ever happened to me.
One cannot begin to imagine the need for a progressive, scalable installation of patches, before getting the whole thing up to scratch with the latest v.X.Y
Sure I work... but only when I want to! I got a lot of free time on my hands, so I can play RPG's 10 hours a day![url="http://website.ws/jodharry"]Here's how I do it[/url]
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The Nightfly
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- Joined: Thu Dec 15, 2005 9:17 pm
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[QUOTE=InDoMiNaE]
The way they created the patches was awful. I think a game company should have an .exe that puts everything where it' supposed to go regardless of what version you start with. You shouldn't have to guess they made a folder with all of the patch files in it, then move them where their supposed to go. Like I said... awful.
I remedied this type of situation by creating my own patch. It patches US version 1.1 to 1.3 OR ANYTHING IN BETWEEN to 1.3.
Just like a patch is supposed to.
[/QUOTE]
I fully agree. In fact, I confirmed the same opinion in the last post.
I would almost open another thread to gripe on the poor QA operations, the apparent indifference in releasing a flawed programme, etc., but that would just be futile. Everyone's already commented on the bugginess of DL.
I didn't have to actually search for a patch folder; the unpacked files were copied directly to root directory of the game. Among other things, it also overwrote the DL .exe launch file.
It just sometimes baffles me how some things have be done (and how others don't even work).
The way they created the patches was awful. I think a game company should have an .exe that puts everything where it' supposed to go regardless of what version you start with. You shouldn't have to guess they made a folder with all of the patch files in it, then move them where their supposed to go. Like I said... awful.
I remedied this type of situation by creating my own patch. It patches US version 1.1 to 1.3 OR ANYTHING IN BETWEEN to 1.3.
Just like a patch is supposed to.
[/QUOTE]
I fully agree. In fact, I confirmed the same opinion in the last post.
I would almost open another thread to gripe on the poor QA operations, the apparent indifference in releasing a flawed programme, etc., but that would just be futile. Everyone's already commented on the bugginess of DL.
I didn't have to actually search for a patch folder; the unpacked files were copied directly to root directory of the game. Among other things, it also overwrote the DL .exe launch file.
It just sometimes baffles me how some things have be done (and how others don't even work).
Sure I work... but only when I want to! I got a lot of free time on my hands, so I can play RPG's 10 hours a day![url="http://website.ws/jodharry"]Here's how I do it[/url]